Clock-key



(No Model.)

A. M. LANE.

CLOCK KEY. No. 436,921. Patented Sept. 23, 1890.

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' UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

ALMERON M. LANE, OF MERIDEN, CONNECTICUT.

CLOCK-KEY.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 436,921, datedSeptember 23, 1890.

Application filed April 21, 1890- Serial No. 348,847. (No model.)

To aZZ whom, it may concern.-

Be it known that I, ALMERON M. LANE, a citizen of the United States,residing at Meriden, in the county of New Haven and State ofConnecticut, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inClock-Keys, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in clock-keys; and the object ofmyimprovement is to increase the utility and convenience of the article,and particularly to provide a sliding key for setting the pointers,which will rotate freely except when drawn outwardly into position foruse.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a rear view of a clock-casewith my pointersetting key attached. Fig. 2 is a side elevation of thesame, the key being drawn out for turning the pointers. Fig. 3 is asectional view, partly in elevation, of detached parts. Fig. 4.- is aplan view of the blank for forming the friction spring-arms, and Fig. 5is a detached side elevation of the key prior to attaching saidspring-arms.

A designates the back of a clock-case, through the center of whichprojects the central hub 6 of the mainspring, to which hub thewinding-key B is attached. This central hub has a central opening at itsouter end, into .which the center shaft 7, that carries the pointers, asin ordinary clocks, projects. The central hub 6 is connected with theclockspring substantially as in Patent No. 221,310, granted to A. E.Hotchkiss November 4,1879.

Rigidly mounted upon the rear end of the center shaft is an extensionS,having a squared head 9 with four sides, or of some other angular oreccentric form that would constitute the equivalent of a square, for thepurpose of applying a winding-key. This extension 8 is centrally boredat its inner end and driven upon the rear end of the center shaft 7 withsufficient force to make it stay in place and to make it and the centershaft rotate together. Any mechanic will readily know how to so securethe extension 8.

C designates the pointer-setting key, which in the main is of acylindrical form adapted to enter the recess or opening in the centralhub 6, and provided at its outer end with a suitable handle 10 forconvenience of manipulation. The inner end of this key 0 is bored to fitthe cylindrical body of the extension 8, as shown in Fig. 3, while itsouter end has a bore of a larger diameter that will permit the head 9 torevolve therein. At the junction of the smaller and larger bore of thekey C there is a squared socket 11, which substantially fits the head 9,and into which said head may be received. hen the key 0 is pushedinwardly, as illustrated in Fig. 3, far enough so that the head 9 isdisengaged from the squared socket 11, or when pushed in to any pointbeyond the position so illustrated the key is free to turn upon theextension of the center shaft while said shaft remains stationary, andtherefore if the key C for setting the pointers should be accidentallyhit and partially revolved when not fully withdrawn its partialrevolution will not change the position of the pointers. By fullywithdrawing the pointer-setting key, as shown in Fig. 2, the head 9enters the squared socket 11 and necessitates the revolution of theextension 8 and center shaft 7 with the key C, so that the pointers maybe turned to any desired position.

In order to hold the pointersetting key within the case out of the Waywhen not wanted for use, I provide the same with friction spring-arms12, which may be attached to said key in any suitable manner and bearupon the central bore in the hub 6, as shown. I prefer to attach thesearms by forming them from a blank shaped as shown in plan View in Fig.4, with a central opening, and to form a tenon upon the inner end of thekey C, upon which to rigidly secure the spring-arms by upsetting orstaking and then bend the arms, as shown in Figs. 2 and 3.

\Vhile I have illustrated my improvement with the pointer-setting keyand winding-key concentrically mounted as the preferred form, I do notwish to confine all features of my invention to such an arrangement, asit is evident that my pointer-setting key may be used to great advantagein any clock where the winding and pointer-setting devices are locatedso near to each other as to be crowded and have't-he setting deviceliable to be accidentally turned by ones fingers when operating thewinding-key, whether said winding and pointer-setting keys are arrangedside by side or concentrically.

I claim as my invention- 1. A pointer-setting key 0, having a bore atits inner end adapted to fit and slide upon a center-shaft extension, alarger bore at its outer end, and a key-socket between said two bores,adapted to receive a head on the extension for turning the same, andadapted to' revolve independently on said extension when said socket andhead are disengaged, substantially as described, and for the purposespecified.

2. The combination of the center shaft and headed extension, with thesliding key C arranged thereon and provided with an interspecified. I

ALMERON M. LANE. Witnesses:

JAMES SHEPARD, JOHN EDWARDS, J 1'.

